In the eyes of cultivators across the Nine Provinces, these back-to-back events solidly confirmed the prophecies!
Thus, the inquiry into Lu Mingyi over the sect leader’s death—originally set for a month later—had been advanced to today.
And it had escalated from an inquiry to a full “trial.”
An inquiry required only one elder per Taiqing Sect rules; a trial needed at least three to deliberate.
But when Xiao Yuxie flew them on her sword to Main Peak, Lu Mingyi saw the spectacle and sneered inwardly:
So I’m still worth this much fanfare now.
In front of Pure Clarity Hall, crowds lined the steps from the hall entrance all the way down, filling the roads of Main Peak! They wore various sect uniforms—clearly, most of Taiqing Sect’s disciples had come to watch.
Lu Mingyi guessed that plenty of other Nine Provinces cultivators were probably gathered at Taiqing Sect’s gates too. After all, the sect’s protective array barred outsiders from entering freely.
Seeing Xiao Yuxie arrive carrying someone, the crowd erupted.
“It’s Senior Sister Xiao!”
“Who’s in her arms? Don’t tell me it’s… that Lu Mingyi?!”
“It is! Sigh, we’ve heard Senior Sister Xiao is so kind and tolerant. Even after Lu Mingyi lured the Demon Sect to Long Rainbow Sword Venerable’s residence, she’s still carrying her to Pure Clarity Hall. Too benevolent! If it were me, I’d make her crawl here!”
“Think of how radiant and glorious Lu Mingyi used to be. Now look—the prophecy is real; she really got mixed up with the Demon Sect!”
“We must deal with her today!”
The shouts grew louder, rattling Lu Mingyi’s eardrums. Without the array around Pure Clarity Hall, these rowdy disciples might have rushed up to dispose of her themselves.
Ji Xuyun’s schemes were truly “thorough.”
Now, Lu Mingyi was shunned by the righteous path, utterly unable to defend herself. Even without falling to the demonic path, the Nine Provinces could hardly tolerate her anymore.
Returning to Pure Clarity Hall, the gruesome image of former sect leader Sheng Ye’s death flashed before Lu Mingyi’s eyes. She closed them briefly, forcing herself to stay calm.
Ming Xuan waited at the hall entrance. Seeing Xiao Yuxie carrying Lu Mingyi, she was a bit surprised and sighed. “Nephew Xiao, that’s thoughtful of you. But once we enter, Junior Nephew Lu must go in on her own, and…”
She paused, bringing her hand from behind her back. In it was the Immortal Binding Rope.
For such a grave case, the defendant naturally had to be strictly restrained. Xiao Yuxie and Ming Xuan not binding Lu Mingyi beforehand was already a serious violation.
Lu Mingyi understood. Once set down by Xiao Yuxie, she extended her hands willingly. “Martial Aunt, Senior Sister, please.”
Ming Xuan’s brows furrowed deeply. After binding Lu Mingyi with the Immortal Binding Rope, she sighed several times. Finally, she leaned close and sent a spiritual transmission: “It’ll be fine. There must be some misunderstanding. Don’t be afraid.”
Warmth flowed in Lu Mingyi’s eyes. She nodded. “Mm, I know. Thank you…”
“Junior Sister Lu, time’s up.” Xiao Yuxie announced mercilessly. “Go in.”
Lu Mingyi glanced at her, but Xiao Yuxie didn’t even spare her a look.
Though they were at Pure Clarity Hall’s entrance, walking still tugged at her split wound. To avoid showing weakness or losing momentum, by the time Lu Mingyi reached the doors in one breath, her legs were trembling faintly from the pain.
Thus, when the great doors opened and she stepped over the threshold, her footing gave way, and she stumbled inside.
With that one motion, she suddenly heard crisp sword hums from all around. Looking up at the two rows of figures arrayed in Pure Clarity Hall, the first thought in Lu Mingyi’s mind was: This setup is way too grand!
When she’d last come to see the sect leader, the hall had been dimly packed and eerily silent. Now, it was bright and spacious, majestic and imposing.
On the left side of the hall sat the peak lords of the Taiqing Sect’s Five Peaks, along with elders from various other sects. Jiang Liuzhao, as the Sword Peak Lord, occupied the foremost seat, closest to the central dais. Following her were Ming Xuan of Pill Peak, Heavenly Talisman True Person of Talisman Peak, Sanhua True Person of Beast Peak, and Yun He Zhenren of Medicine Peak, who had just emerged from seclusion. Behind them sat representatives from major sects like Qianji Sect and Sweeping Frost Sect.
On the right side were the family heads, young masters, and several disciples serving as guards from the great clans of the Nine Provinces. The sharp sword hums from earlier had come from these guards drawing their immortal swords. Among them, Shen Family Young Mistress Shen Mingzheng took the lead seat, followed by Xiao Family Young Mistress Xiao Yuxie.
After Lu Mingyi was thrown inside, the doors to Pure Clarity Hall slammed shut.
Yet inside the hall, the peak lords and elders of Taiqing Sect on the left exuded thick spiritual energy, their sect robes gleaming with silver flowing clouds. On the right, the clan disciples wore an array of lavish uniforms adorned with shining emblems, illuminating the entire Pure Clarity Hall in brilliant light.
By comparison, Lu Mingyi’s sect robes were covered in shoe prints and bloodstains. She hadn’t even tidied herself up—her hair was disheveled and unkempt, making her look utterly wretched.
Especially with dozens of eyes from the hall now fixed upon her, Lu Mingyi couldn’t help but think: If I’d known this many people would be here, I would’ve at least washed my face first! I can’t lose my composure in front of all these people who’ve already convicted me.
The gazes directed at her held scrutiny, hostility, curiosity, and anger.
Lu Mingyi simply straightened her back, calmly and indifferently meeting the barrage of stares.
But she still quickly glanced toward Jiang Liuzhao and Shen Mingzheng on either side—quite coincidentally, both had their eyes closed, neither sparing her a single look.
Once Xiao Yuxie and Ming Xuan had taken their seats, a hush fell over the hall. Then, a tall woman seated fourth among the clan representatives spoke up: “The traitor’s here. Shouldn’t you lot get on with the proceedings?”
“Fellow Daoist Guan,” Heavenly Talisman True Person replied with a genial smile, “we are indeed beginning the trial, but the verdict remains undecided. It’s premature to call her a ‘traitor.’ Per Taiqing Sect protocol, high-risk incidents are presided over by the Sect Leader—but the Sect Leader has passed. Thus, I will stand in as host for this trial.”
Her words immediately sparked a murmur of hushed conversations throughout the hall.
By proxy-hosting the trial, Heavenly Talisman True Person was essentially acting as Sect Leader—a clear signal that, barring surprises, she would become Taiqing Sect’s next Sect Leader.
Yet by seniority and strength, the previous Sect Leader’s position should have gone to Jiang Liuzhao.
Why not her this time?
The clan side whispered among themselves for a moment, but being on Taiqing Sect turf, they quickly fell silent.
Once the hall quieted again, the ever-smiling Heavenly Talisman True Person continued. As she spoke, a powerful surge of spiritual pressure bore down on Lu Mingyi, pinning her in place:
“Very well. Lu Mingyi, direct disciple of the 172nd generation of Taiqing Sect Sword Peak—you stand accused of colluding with the Demon Sect, infiltrating Taiqing Sect as a spy, persecuting the former Sect Leader Sheng Ye, and inciting the Black Flood Dragon disaster. Do you have any explanations?”
Heavenly Talisman True Person’s cultivation teetered on the brink of Cavern Void Peak. Her spiritual pressure crashed down, and Lu Mingyi instantly tasted a surge of bloody sweetness in her throat.
She took several deep breaths, forcing the blood back down, then raised her gaze to meet Heavenly Talisman True Person’s eyes. With a faint smile, she said, “Explanations? What is there to explain? None of this has anything to do with me.”
“Casuistry!” A young woman from the clan side shouted immediately. “The facts and evidence are right there in front of everyone, and you still dare spout such nonsense!”
Lu Mingyi showed no fear, coldly eyeing her. “Facts and evidence? Pray tell, what evidence?”
“Hah, the crowd of Taiqing Sect disciples outside are the evidence! They saw you acting all chummy with that Demon Sect witch on the day they attacked!” The woman from Southwest Lin Family sneered, turning to her right. “Isn’t that right, Yuxie?”
Suddenly, all eyes in Pure Clarity Hall turned to Xiao Yuxie. Lu Mingyi looked to her senior sister as well, wondering what she would say.
But Xiao Yuxie merely let out a faint chuckle. “The situation that day was dire, and my cultivation far outmatched that witch’s. My full attention was on my own techniques and her—I didn’t notice anything else.”
Her evasive stance was obvious, and the Lin Family young mistress’s face soured with displeasure.
Noticing from the corner of her eye, Xiao Yuxie quickly added, “However, after slaying the Demon Sect witch, I did see Junior Sister Lu right beside her.”
The Lin Family young mistress raised her brows triumphantly. “See? Even Yuxie says so. What more excuses do you have?”
Lu Mingyi scoffed. “Does a Demonic Cultivator showing up nearby prove collusion with the Demon Sect? Then I ask everyone here—how many of you have had close encounters with Demonic Cultivators? Been embraced, slashed, or stabbed by them? Probably not a few!”
“You insolent rebel!”
A Qianji Sect elder roared suddenly, unleashing his late Soul Transformation Stage pressure. Lu Mingyi buckled under it, coughing up a mouthful of blood that splattered the white jade floor.
Several faces in the hall changed. As Lu Mingyi gasped for breath and tried to straighten up, arguments erupted anew.
“Fellow Daoist, what is the meaning of this? How dare you attack directly!” Heavenly Talisman True Person’s usual upturned tone carried rare anger.
“Are you Taiqing Sect folk still going to listen to this traitor’s drivel? So many saw her consorting with Demon Sect members that day—it’s an ironclad fact! She’s the Child of Prophecy who’ll bring disaster to the Cultivation World!” The Qianji Sect elder’s hatred was plain on his face. “I advise you all not to waste time. Kill this sect traitor and Demon Sect collaborator now!”
“You…” Heavenly Talisman True Person pinched her brow, about to admonish him, when the mountain-like pressure on Lu Mingyi suddenly vanished.
Bewildered, she lifted her head to see the elder’s face flushed red as he shot to his feet, furious and shocked. “Long Rainbow Sword Venerable, why did you strike at me?!”
Jiang Liuzhao, who had sat at the sect side’s head with eyes closed as if still resting, regarded him coldly. At his accusation, she merely twitched a brow and swept him with a glance, silencing him with chagrin.
“Since the trial has begun, we follow Taiqing Sect procedures. How can outsiders act with such impunity?”
Jiang Liuzhao’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it instantly hushed Pure Clarity Hall.
Even with her spiritual fluctuations fully restrained, the pressure from a Great Ascension Stage cultivator was enough to cow the assembly.
